The invention relates to marine stern drives, and more particularly to the output coupler therefor.
A marine stern drive has a lower outboard gearcase having a vertical drive shaft driving a horizontal propeller shaft in a lower torpedo housing, a propeller mounted on the propeller shaft and driven thereby, a universal joint driving the vertical drive shaft at the top of the gearcase, an output drive shaft driving the universal joint and extending through the transom of a boat and having a forward splined end. An engine output coupler has an axially splined opening therein receiving the forward splined end of the output drive shaft. This structure has been subject to spline wear on commercial fishing boat engines due to lack of lubrication and continuous low speed operation.
The present invention addresses and solves the above noted problem in a particularly simple and effective manner. Grease passage structure is provided for lubricating the coupler and output drive shaft splines.